---
title: "Keep Your Number: Call Forwarding to an AI Receptionist"
description: "You keep your business number. Calls go to the AI receptionist when nobody answers, when the line is busy or after hours. Set it up in 3 steps."
url: "https://ainora.lt/blog/keep-your-number-ai-receptionist-call-forwarding"
published: "2026-11-08"
author: "Justas Butkus"
---

# Keep Your Number: Call Forwarding to an AI Receptionist

> **TL;DR:** You keep your business number. Your callers dial the same number as always, and calls reach the AI receptionist by call forwarding: only when nobody picks up, when the line is busy, after hours, or all of them. If you run an office phone system, it can be connected directly instead. Nothing has to be moved to a new provider, and nothing changes for your clients.

## Do you keep your number with an AI receptionist?

Yes. The number on your website, your Google listing and your appointment cards stays exactly where it is. The AI receptionist gets its own line in the background, and your phone sends calls to it under the rules you choose. Your clients never see that second line. They call you, and either your team or the AI answers.

This is the question owners ask most once they start picturing the setup, usually in one of three forms: "do I need a new number?", "do I have to move my number to you?" and "how do I forward from my mobile?". The answers are no, no, and a short code, covered below.

## What are the three ways to connect your line?

| Option | How it works | Best for |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Call forwarding | Your phone or operator forwards calls to the AI receptionist’s line, under rules you set. | Most small and mid-size businesses. Nothing to install. |
| Direct connection (SIP) | Your office phone system connects to the AI receptionist directly, so it acts like one more extension. | Businesses with a cloud or office phone system and an IT person or provider. |
| A new local number | The AI receptionist answers on a new number that you publish, for example for a new location or campaign. | New lines only. Not needed to keep your existing number. |

Moving your number to another provider (porting) is not needed for any of the three. Your contract with your current operator stays as it is.

## Which calls should go to the AI?

You decide. Forwarding has four common rules, and most businesses use one or two of them:

- **When nobody answers.** Your phone rings first. If no one picks up within the time you set, the call goes to the AI. Your team keeps every call it can take, and the AI catches the rest.
- **When the line is busy.** While your team is on one call, the next caller reaches the AI instead of a busy tone or voicemail.
- **After hours.** Outside your opening hours, every call goes to the AI. Office phone systems and many operators can switch this on a schedule. On a mobile, you switch all-call forwarding on at closing and off in the morning.
- **All calls.** The AI answers first and passes to your team what needs a person.

A common start is "when nobody answers" plus "when busy": the team works exactly as before, and the calls they could not get to stop disappearing. One vet clinic we work with forwards only the calls nobody picks up, so the front desk answers first whenever it can.

## How do you set up forwarding in 3 steps?

1. **Get the AI receptionist's number.** Your provider gives you the line your calls should be forwarded to.
2. **Turn on the forwarding rule.** On a mobile line, with a short dial code (below). On a landline or office phone system, in its settings or admin panel, or ask your operator to switch it on for you.
3. **Test it.** Call your business number from another phone, let it ring out, and check that the AI answers. Then test the busy and after-hours cases if you use them.

## How do you forward calls from a mobile phone?

On most mobile networks, call forwarding is switched on with standard dial codes. Replace NUMBER with the AI receptionist's number, including the country code, and press call:

| Rule | Code to dial | Turn it off |
| --- | --- | --- |
| When nobody answers | **61*NUMBER# | ##61# |
| When the line is busy | **67*NUMBER# | ##67# |
| When the phone is off or out of reach | **62*NUMBER# | ##62# |
| All calls | **21*NUMBER# | ##21# |
| Cancel all forwarding | ##002# |  |

To set how long your phone rings before an unanswered call is forwarded, add the seconds: **61*NUMBER**20# forwards after 20 seconds (most networks accept 5 to 30, in steps of 5). With call waiting switched on, a mobile rarely reports busy: the second call waits instead and then follows the no-answer rule.

Some operators use their own codes, or charge for forwarded calls on certain plans. If a code does not work, your operator's customer service can switch the rule on for you in a few minutes. Ask them at the same time whether forwarded calls are included in your plan.

## What goes wrong with call forwarding?

- **Someone switches it off.** A colleague turns forwarding off to take calls on a quiet day and forgets to switch it back. Calls then stop reaching the AI and nobody notices until a client complains. Agree who owns the setting.
- **The ring time is too long or too short.** Too short, and your team never gets a chance to answer. Too long, and callers hang up before the AI picks up. Try it with a colleague and adjust.
- **Voicemail answers first.** If your operator's voicemail is on, it can catch unanswered calls before forwarding does. Turn voicemail off on the line you forward.
- **Only one number is forwarded.** If clients call a mobile and a landline, set the rule on both.

## How does it work with AInora?

You keep your number and choose the rule. We give you the number to forward to and the steps for your line, and if your business runs an office phone system we can connect it directly instead. During setup we test the forwarding with you before the AI takes real calls.

You can hear it first: [fill out the short form](/contact?from=blog-keep-your-number-ai-receptionist-call-forwarding) write your website in the message, and we build a demo receptionist from it, so you can talk to it and hear how it answers questions about your business. For clinics, see the [AI receptionist for veterinary clinics](/industries/veterinary-clinics) page.

## Frequently Asked Questions

**Do I need a new phone number for an AI receptionist?**

No. You keep your existing number. Calls are forwarded from it to the AI receptionist, or your office phone system is connected directly. A new local number is only useful if you want an extra line, for example for a new location.

**Do I have to move (port) my number to the AI provider?**

No. Porting is not needed. Your number stays with your current operator, and only the forwarding rule changes.

**Can the AI answer only the calls my team misses?**

Yes. Set forwarding to "when nobody answers" and "when busy". Your phone rings first, and only the calls nobody picks up, or the ones that come in while your team is on another call, go to the AI.

**How do I forward calls from a mobile phone?**

On most mobile networks: **61*NUMBER# forwards unanswered calls, **67*NUMBER# forwards when busy, **62*NUMBER# when the phone is off, and **21*NUMBER# forwards all calls. ##002# cancels all forwarding. If a code does not work, your operator can switch the rule on for you.

**Will my clients notice the call was forwarded?**

No. They dial your usual number and hear your AI receptionist greet them with your business name. The forwarding happens in the background.

**Can I switch the AI off for a day?**

Yes. Cancel the forwarding rule and your phone rings as before. Switch it back on when you are done, and make sure one person owns that setting so it is not forgotten.

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